Unemployment has fallen slightly in the North East but remains the highest in the UK, according to new figures.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a 5.5% level of unemployment in the region, down 0.1% from the previous month but still well above the national level of 4.0%.
The number of people in work in the region is below where it was a year ago, however, due to a rise in the number of people classed as ‘economically inactive’. A total of 83,515 people are claiming unemployment benefits, down slightly on last month but still above pre-pandemic levels.
